An important advance in the design of smaller, high-performance watercraft in recent years has been the incorporation of buoyant outboard stabilizing members. Such outboard stabilizers help to prevent the watercraft from heeling to far during high-speed maneuvers. Forces experienced by a watercraft during high-speed turns cause the vessel to heel: the sharper the turn and the greater the speed, the greater the angle of heel. In smaller, faster vessels, the heel angle can be extreme, and can even cause the vessel to capsize. Outboard stabilizers, elongate buoyant members fixed to the side sheets or walls of the vessel, are typically positioned high enough on the watercraft to remain out of the water during straight-ahead operation at planing speeds. The foam stabilizers may be disposed at the top of the side sheets or at a location lower on the side sheets. When the vessel heels sufficiently, the heel-side stabilizer engages the water to produce a righting force.
Stabilizing members may rely on polymeric foam for flotation, for example, comprising a solid foam cylinder, a sheathing or flexible container filled with a foam filler material, or a rigid sealed sponson filled with a buoyant material. In other embodiments, the stabilizing member may comprise a gas-filled bladder. Yet other embodiments are formed with both a foam core and gas bladders disposed in an outer sheathing. While air-filled stabilizers are subject to leakage, foam stabilizers have the advantage of being virtually unsinkable, and may be sized to make the associated vessel substantially unsinkable. Outboard stabilizers also provide the watercraft with added buoyancy, thus increasing carrying capacity.
In some embodiments, the outboard stabilizer extends along substantially the entire length of the watercraft, from bow to stern. Alternatively, outboard stabilizers may extend along only a portion of the vessel side sheets. The outboard stabilizer must be securely fixed to the watercraft. Outboard stabilizers on high-performance watercraft are subject to very significant hydrodynamic forces, and it is important that they be fastened securely to the watercraft to withstand these hydrodynamic forces.
Exemplary foam stabilizers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,965, to Hansen, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Outboard stabilizers utilizing both air and foam for buoyancy are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,810,827, to Hansen, which is hereby incorporated by reference. Outboard stabilizers may also be provided with features to improve watercraft performance, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,775,172 and U.S. Pat. No. 8,240,268, also to Hansen, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
One challenge that has limited broader adoption of outboard stabilizers for high-performance watercraft is the additional maximum width, or beam, that results from outboard stabilizers. Watercraft may often be towed or otherwise transported over highways to a desired launch site. Highways generally have limitations on allowable vehicle width. For example, in the United States federal law sets a maximum commercial vehicle width of about 102 inches on the national network of highways (without special overwidth permits) in 23 CFR Part 658.
In order to increase the usable interior space of a towable watercraft having outboard stabilizers, it would be beneficial if the outboard stabilizers could be easily removed during transporting or towing of the vessel, and easily and quickly installed when the vessel arrives at the desired launching location. Prior art attachment mechanisms for outboard stabilizers typically require many hours and trained personnel to remove and reinstall. Such removal and installation may also require special tools and the like. There is a need for improved methods and systems for attaching outboard stabilizers to watercraft.